1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electric storage batteries having their external terminals in the side or end walls of the battery container. More particularly this invention relates to electric storage batteries primarily for use in starting, lighting, and ignition type applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One method of assembling side terminals in a battery case is to provide a terminal which is inserted through an aperture in the case wall and is mated with a retaining ring on the inside of the case wall. In such a method the terminal and inside ring are fused by turning the case on its side and gas burning the terminal and ring together. Connections of this type, however, have a tendency to leak not only because of a deficiency in the mechanical joint itself, but also because the heat generated during the fusing operation, if not properly controlled by the operator, causes distortion of the case surrounding the terminal and further degrades the seal about the terminal connection. One solution in the prior art to the difficulty of sealing this type of terminal has been to provide an additional sealant or gasket, which is applied at the case terminal interface to insure adequate sealing.
A second approach to the manufacturer of side terminal batteries has been to cast a terminal in place within an aperture which has been formed in a battery case. This method has achieved some success, however, the difficulty with this cast in place method is that the manufacturing variables are critical and therefore the tooling and apparatus used must be controlled within very close limits. Additionally, the apparatus required for such manufacturing technique is Capital Intensive. While this technique has provided a terminal which has a better seal, it does tend to result in a reduced rate of production which may counter balance the advantages of the better seal.
Both of the prior art methods of producing a terminal in the side or end wall of the battery case share a common defect which is that there is a protrusion or an encroachment of the lead terminal into the battery container. This is necessary to affect sealing between the terminal and the inside wall of the battery container. This protrusion into the cell or cavity of the battery container results in slowed production and also in production damage if the technician assembling the battery is not careful while placing the cell element in the cell cavity.